Soshite Pareedo wa Tsuzuku
by Annachan
Summary: Gaara has always been a desperate loner. Isn't it time for this to change? [COMPLETE]
1. Circus opens

Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine. But the following lines are...

Credits: Story from chapter 4b edited by Nora D.

Notes: Storyline here starts after Chapter 139 from Vol. 16, so there will be massive spoilers. Don't read if you don't like spoilers. Read if you don't care...

Warning: I'm not an English native speaker/writer. Beware of grammar mistakes and orthography errors.

Others: I have nothing against reviews, nor "flames". You can send them.

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * *0

The girl with big ponytails sighed. Then she knocked once again.

Still no answer.

She frowned deeply.  She proceed to bang on the door.

No sound in.

"Gaara, you can't stay like that forever...I've brought your meal!"

No answer.

"Gaara..."

"Temari... leave me alone. Please."

"But Gaara...at least, eat something..."

"Not hungry." the voice behind the door snapped.

She helplessly shrugged and walked away.

Kankuro was in the kitchen, already eating.

"Again?"

"Yes." she let herself fall on the chair. "Three months already..."

"Hn." Kankuro nodded.

"Do you think he will ever leave his room?"

"Let's hope so..."

Yes. She should leave him alone. 

He has always been alone anyway.

Ever since he was a child. Even more when he grew up.

No matter the people around, the brother, the sister...no one was close to him.

But the sand...

Sand wasn't human. Sand wouldn't betray him. 

It protected him.

His father betrayed him. Yashamaru betrayed him.

Everyone betrayed him. Everyone disliked him.

What was that Kanji on his forehead for? if people could not love him?

If he couldn't love people... If he couldn't protect people...

If he could only kill people...If he couldn't protect anyone...

Protect anyone...

The memory rushed in his mind, enrapturing his whole body.

He lowered his head. 

He knew what was coming next. 

He knew the golden light was threatening to enlighten the darkness of his secluded corner. 

He knew the blue window was slowly opening itself to show him what he dreamed of.

He knew the smiling white clouds were inviting him.

But he wouldn't go. And so it disappeared.

Could it be that heaven was tempting him after so many sins?

Was he hoping for redemption? Did he really believe such a gift could be given to him?

Ah. Fool. He wouldn't go.

He wouldn't even try. It was useless.

But he would try. He would still hope.

How stupid. 

What had he got to lose?

Nothing.

But Hope itself.


	2. Scenes 1

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * * 1 

The boy with the ponytail sighed blissfully, sat on the grass.

He was all alone. Everything desert around him.

But he could hear the rustling of the leaves lending its voice to the wind. Birds were chirping too.

How peaceful.

"How could you stay like that a whole day?" 

"Please...leave..." he groaned.

"You skipped class again..."

"And so did you."

"I didn't. I didn't wake up in time..."

"Of course. You NEVER wake up in time..."

"You can talk. Lazy-ass..." he sat down.

The birds' chirping had muffled. 

"Do you think Hokage-sama can see us now?"

"How would I know?"

"I was just asking..."

"...well..."

"Hum?"

"You know what they say..."

"Huh?"

"...Kind people go up there and become angels watching over us and stuff..."

"Ah..." he bit his lower lip.

"...but I'm sure Hokage-sama is busy watching over us there."

A yellow leaf languidly fluttered in the air before settling in bright blond hair. 

"Know what Shikamaru?"

"Hn??"

"It's nice to talk with you..."

"Hm."

"...I always thought you had no brain but... seems that you do."

"Naruto?"

"Hm?"

"Go away."

Another day flying away. That was what he thought while watching the bloody sunset.

He snickered at himself and increased his pace.

Iruka-sensei will kill him. For a three days he hadn't attend any classes. He was always bored at school anyway, that was no great loss. Besides, he was certain no one had noticed he was missing. Sakura would certainly be fighting with Ino over Sasuke. Chôji would be eating, Kiba playing with Akamaru while Hinata would be blushing madly. Shino would just be himself. 

He smiled half-heartedly and pushed his house's door open. 

His senses instantly got alarmed. At the first step he heard something crunch on the floor. He frowned a little. 

What was with all that~~~??!!

A shadow appeared few meters in front of him. 

He quickly enlightened the place. 

Surprise slowly crept over his face, followed by incomprehension.

"You...What do you want?"

The person in front of him seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if pondering what to answer.

"I don't know..."

"What do you mean you don't know?! You're in my house here!" he said, his hands starting to shake.

Despite his bravado he couldn't hide it.

"Don't worry. I won't harm you..."

"Yeah of course. After what you did to me last time you think I~~~"

"I said I'm not here to hurt you..." the figure took a step forward.

"Stay away from me!!" he yelled unconsciously. 

His nails had already grown longer. 

Gaara's face darkened deeply.

Naruto was expecting him to get furious and choke him with the sand. But instead, it retreated back to its owner. Before the boy disappeared, he saw that look on his face.

He shivered.

He hadn't been asking that much. Or so he thought.

Maybe that was too much for the Leaf gennin.

Maybe he had been asking too much.

He jumped from one tree to another, careful to hide himself. 

If he were to be seen he'd be immediately sent back to the Sand Village.

That he didn't want.

Still, what was he expecting here? Why had he came here for?

It would have been ridiculous to tell the blond ninja he had came to see him.

Utterly ridiculous. Had he said that, the guy would have laughed at him.

But he had scared him. 

It pained him. He felt somehow betrayed.

No...that wasn't right. 

He had scared him because the Leaf ninja had memories about him.

Silly. Did he even had the right to face him after what he did?

He couldn't help it.

He needed to see him.

There was no way he could calm himself. There was no way he could calm his heart.

It was painfully throbbing in his throat. His mind was a mess.

How come trouble was always following his back? 

What was the Sand gennin doing in his house? 

Why did he react in a so un-ninja-like way? 

What was he supposed to do now that the guy had fled away? 

Should he warn Iruka-sensei? or Kakashi-sensei? Alert the village maybe?

Night was coming. The weather was cooling out.

He shook his head, thinking it wasn't his business at all.

But then, he remembered the look.

He knew that look.

It was the look of a blind searching his way despite the darkness.

It was the look of a lonely one.

It was the look he used to see on his own face.

He closed his eyes and bit his lower lip.

The old man better be watching him.

"Okay. Now where is he gone?"

He silently flipped past several places where he could possibly had hidden.

He even thought of paying Sasuke a visit, just to know if he had seen the Sand gennin around. 

But he quickly shooed the idea away.

Tired of finding no better solution than looking around every secret places he knew, he wished he had Shikamaru's racing mind. 

"Naruto?" 

He jumped up, surprised his thoughts were interrupted.

"Aaah...Ino..."

"Yeah. That's me. Have you seen Sakura around?"

"Umm... no...no."

"I bet she is late. We were supposed to meet here..."

"Aa..."

"But, what are you doing here?"

"Uh...Just felt like eating some ramen..."

"Hmph. I knew you were dumb but, Ramen shop is this way..."

"Huh?"

"You know... that way is the forest..."

"Ah... hahaha!  Of course I wouldn't forget!" he smiled goofily.

"Yeah..." she walked off without saying goodbye.

Naruto stuck his tongue at her back. 

He waited until she was out of his view, then headed for the forest.

It was all dead. No sound, no noise. All dark.

It was gloomy. He wanted to retreat.

Turning around, he felt a trail of sand caress his cheek. He stopped.

He wanted to use the Kage Bunshin Jutsu, but he knew Gaara wouldn't fall for that.

He slowly raised his head up, looking at a particular tree.

"Stop watching from up there, you're no God." he said.

A figure fell from the tree, landing on its feet.

"How did you..."

"I know about that habit of yours. Hanging on branches by the feet as if you were a bat."

Naruto clenched his fists in anticipation. 

The other boy only gathered the sand in his bottle before closing it.

"What did you come for?"

"Hey! I'm not the one coming from another village. YOU answer that question!"

Naruto pouted, a little lost in the situation.

Gaara wouldn't answer. 

"I'm not keeping you at my place." he said on the defensive.

Gaara said nothing.

"I can't believe it...can't believe my luck..." he muttered as he closed the door. 

"Sakura would kill me if she knew..." 

He looked at the other gennin standing in the middle of the room. 

Nothing betrayed his rigid features. No evil intention, no good one either. 

He felt insecure.

How could he have brought him back in his house? It was crazy. 

He breathed slowly, trying to calm himself.

"Okay. I don't know what you want, I don't want to know. I don't care if it has anything to do with Sasuke either, that's his problem. But..." his eyes met Gaara's "...If you ever try anything bad on me, I'll beat you into a pulp."

Gaara simply turned his head away.

"Okay... Now go find some spot to sleep. The sofa, the floor or the ceiling, whatever you like..." 

Naruto quickly disappeared in another room.

He closed his eyes as something like satisfaction filled his throat.

As stupid as it might seem, he sort of felt at home. The kind of place he would wish to live in. 

It was tiny, but it felt incredibly warm.

Maybe because he was invited. The leaf gennin had invited him in his place. 

For the first time, since a long time, someone he didn't really know had bothered him. 

But it was because he had had no choice, wasn't it?

No. The blond ninja was simply someone special. 

He had saw it that time when they had fought. 

He had managed to drag him away from the rage boiling within him. 

He had set him free him from the monster in him.

Still, he couldn't explain what made him different from Temari and Kankuro.

He opened his eyes and entered another small room. 

He opened his bottle and the sand flew out. 

He watched it enclosing him like a cocoon and closed his eyes. 

He didn't know why, but he soon found himself choking, as if the sand was trying to fill his lungs. 

He pounded on the sand shell several time before it finally cracked open. 

Inhaling deeply, he commanded them back in the bottle and securely closed it.  

He looked around and found the sofa the gennin had mentioned. 

He found it comfortable. 

Naruto was already changing himself in his pajamas.

He still couldn't understand what had gotten him. 

Here, in this house where he was used to live alone, he had allowed a stranger. 

Worst, a potential killer. A guy who tried to kill him once.

Maybe Ino wasn't so wrong when she told him he was "dumb". 

That was a crazy decision. 

He hoped he wouldn't regret it.

He hoped that look on Gaara's face hadn't been a fake one.

Sighing with exhaustion, he quietly to sank under the blankets.

That was when he heard a violent coughing outside. 

He shrugged. But still decided to go check.

Gaara was asleep on the sofa. 

People always says everyone wear angel's features when sleeping. 

He Naruto didn't know if that was true. But for Gaara, it was absolutely impossible to see.

His porcelain like face hid anything.

Yawning, the blond gennin went back to his room.


	3. Scenes 2

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * *2

A strident sound made the boy jump up. 

He looked around, angry his sleep had been interrupted.  

The alarm clock was shouting at him. He quickly shut its mouth.

Yawning and shuffling along, he walked towards the door, . 

The house was quiet as always, but he could feel a presence. 

Ah. He had almost forgotten him.

As he entered the other room, he saw Gaara already awake, sat in a corner. 

His eyes were shut. Naruto guessed he might be meditating. 

He passed near the Sand gennin pretending not to have seen him. 

It wasn't because he had slept in his house that they had become friends. No way they would. 

He had tried to kill him in the past after all.

Shrugging, Naruto went to the table, then started to make some breakfast. 

The bowl, the spoon, the milk, the sugar, the corn flakes... everything was there. 

He was about starting to eat, but something made him look in the corner. 

His eyes met Gaara's.

It was scary. 

But he couldn't help pitying the guy.

He sighed heavily.

*

"You want some?" he heard the blond ask.

Something jolted in his body. Something strangely pleasant.

He nodded as an answer.

He heard the sand madly scrape inside the gourd as he stood up. 

"No...Stay where you are." Naruto hastily said. "I'll bring it to you..."

Gaara paused. 

The blond was still dreading him. 

But he wouldn't do him any harm. He would never hurt him. 

He resumed his walking. 

The other ninja gasped.

"Stay where you are!!!" Naruto warned.

Gaara looked at him as he clenched his fists. 

He took another step forward. 

He felt the very negative aura invade the room. 

He shivered as he felt the danger coming. 

He ignored it and leaned towards the table, facing the other ninja. 

He expected the gennin to strike. Nothing came. 

He expected himself to hurt. Instead, he felt an odd wave rise in him.

He knew the blond wouldn't harm him. And he didn't.

He caught the bowl on the table and retreated to his secluded corner.

*

The fire in him had suddenly settled down, leaving confusion in his mind.

He couldn't believe what had happened.

Gaara had come to him with his guard completely down. 

Any Ninja would know never to let his guard down. 

But despite the Kyuubi's evil chakra, he had approached him without any protection.

It was disturbing. 

Naruto knew the guy wasn't weak to that point. In fact, he had thought, since the beginning, that Gaara was full of evil intentions. He was mistrusting him. 

"That was a stupid move..." he stated.

Gaara barely reacted to the words.

Naruto turned back to the table. 

"Hey! That was MY breakfast!!"

*

He lazily walked in the corridor leading to the classroom. 

He had left the Sand ninja in his house some minutes ago. 

He still had no idea what he was going to do about him. There was no way he would tell anyone. He didn't want to be involved with him either. But he couldn't kick him out just like that.

Naruto felt suddenly very tired. 

For the time being, he'd just let him be, until he decides to go back to his village.

He pushed his classroom's door open. 

People turned to look at him, then frowned.

He only grinned at them.

"Baka!!!" Sakura shouted knocking him on the head.

"That hurts..." he complained.

"Idiot! skipping classes... you think you're too smart or something?" 

She looked furious.

He swallowed hardly. 

Surprisingly, Sakura didn't hit him like she would have done. 

Ino had appeared, both girls were now glaring at each other. 

Naruto silently walked away. He blindly chose a seat and sat down. 

Looking up on his right, he spotted Kiba smiling happily at Akamaru. Shino right beside him looked frozen. Sakura and Ino had stopped fighting and settled down next to each other. They were intently staring at the person in front of them with dreamy eyes. 

Naruto released an exasperated sigh and turn to his left.

Hinata was staring at him. Blushing like always. 

He hadn't noticed he had taken a seat next to her.

"I...I'm glad...you're back...Naruto-kun..." she stuttered before turning away.

The blue eyes widened slightly in surprise.

These days were quite full of surprises...

*

The day he had left the Sand village, he had thought about nothing but reach the blond gennin's house.

Now that he was here, what was he going to do?

Something told him that, since the beginning, it had been a very stupid idea.

But there had been a something else, much strong, that had dragged him to this place. 

It was inside him, yet it was something he couldn't put a finger on. 

Now he was alone in the blond's house. 

He had gone to school. And he was left here.

Why was he feeling abandoned?

Why was he feeling out of the boy's world?

That was crazy. The Leaf gennin could barely stand him.

Yet he had invited him to his home, without asking for anything in return.

He breathed sharply.

He knew what he had to do. And the simple idea of it was making him tremble with both apprehension and excitement.

*

It was lunchtime. 

The ninjas had gathered in several groups, each of them distributed among the numerous spots of the playground.

Naruto watched as his classmates started to eat. 

He swallowed as they did. 

He had forgotten to make his lunch this morning. And he had forgotten to bring the few money in his froggy bank to buy some. In fact, he had forgotten everything. 

His stomach groaned.

He felt like going to ask Iruka-sensei some food, but vigorously shrugged the idea off. 

He'd just have to bear the hunger all the day. 

"Naruto..."

He turned to face the girl who was also his team mate.

"Sakura... huh?"

He looked dumbfounded at the bento she was handing him. Then looked at the girl herself: she was awkwardly smiling at him. 

His heart instantly melt: the girl he likes smiling a him bringing him food just when he taught he'd die from hunger. Was she a mind-reader? 

"Thank you very much Sakura-chan!" he beamed at her, taking the bento from her hands.

"Aa." she nodded.

"You want some?" 

She seemed to pause for a second, staring blankly at him, then shook her pretty head.

"See you..." she turned off and quickly walked away.

Naruto saw her reach the other end of the terrace, just as Sasuke was coming into view. 

The boy saw them freeze, look at each other intently until Sakura resumed her walk.

Naruto unconsciously frowned at the girl's behaviour.

"What's wrong with Sakura today?" he asked his teammate as he passed by him. "First she brings me this, then she smiles at me, and finally she completely ignores you..." he turned to Sasuke, a noodle escaping from his mouth. "Is she sick or anything?"

"Whatever..." Sasuke shrugged, walking away.

"Pff... Damn you Uchiha!" he spat, then returned to his meal.

*

As soon as he was certain there was no one around he changed back to himself.

Deep bloody hair, emotionless face, black outfit matching his eyes. 

Yes. He was out of the girl body.

He jumped up in a tree. 

Just as he expected, the blond ninja had worn a delighted face when he saw the food. 

He had been lucky there were some money lying in the Leaf gennin's room.

He hated using the copy no Jutsu. Usually. 

But it didn't matter. He had to bring him the food. It was his very own way to thank the blond-haired ninja. 

No, it really didn't matter, Because he had been rewarded with a smile. That smile. 

But he also knew the guy would never smile at him like that. 

He knew the smile hadn't been for him, but for that girl... 

Then, why was he hoping so much from someone he barely knew, and who barely knew him?

It was disturbing. 

He used to stand for himself only. 

Why starting to bother the others now? Especially that blond stranger?

He had no answer to these questions. 

He only knew he felt warm in his presence.

He would do anything to stay by him.

Gaara's eyes narrowed. 

He had seen that glare the Uchiha had given him. 

It hadn't been for the girl, but for him.  

It seemed to him that the Uchiha had felt his presence behind the copy no Jutsu. 

Or maybe that was just an impression...

*

"Ah, what a school day!" the boy exclaimed as he entered his house. "Know what happened?" 

He expected no answer, but still continued.

"Sakura-chan brought me bento!!" he said removing his orange jacket.

"It was amazing. She even walked past that stupid Sasuke without gaping at him. Terrible!" he entered the living room. "When I thanked her again later during the Jutsu class she told me she didn't do anything. But I guess she was shy to say it in front of everyone. Hehehe..." he sat down in the sofa.

"Still, I'm now sure she likes me... That Sasuke can go brush himself!" then he laughed, proud of himself. 

Looking around, he saw Gaara in a corner. His eyes were closed. 

Had he spent the whole day sat over there? 

"Hey..." he called.

Scary eyes opening answered him.

Naruto moved a little to the other end of the sofa. 

"Are you planning on staying here forever? I mean, this is my house. You have yours too...shouldn't you go back to your village? Your brothers must be waiting for you..."

"I don't think so..."

Naruto frowned.

"How would you know? As far as I remember, they took care of you... that day..."

"And you...who took care of you?" came the sudden question.

"Huh?"

"You told me you were living protecting people. But...is there anyone to protect you?"

He was dumbfounded. 

Gaara was talking too much. 

Even better, he was talking to him...nicely.

"...There is Iruka-sensei...and..." he frowned "...As much as I hate to admit it, there is also Sasuke..."

He made a face and smiled.

"...And I'm sure your brothers do care about you. No matter what you think, there will always be people caring about you."

Gaara had turned his head away.

"But the most important is to have people you care about enough to feel the need to protect them..." his blue eyes softened "...Do you have anyone you wish to protect?"

*

He did blink. 

He felt something move deep in him.

It was more than a shock. 

He felt his mind was totally messed up.

...did he have anyone he wishes to protect? 

He couldn't answer that. He had never thought about it.

He had been betrayed so many times, he had never thought people were worth his protection. 

People he knew and trusted had betrayed him.

People he didn't even know hated him.

That was why he had hated them all.

He lowered his head at the painful memories.

Those were memories he wanted to forget.

Because...because there had been very few people that hadn't betrayed him. 

Kankuro...Temari... 

Even when he rejected them they were still willing to help him. 

They always did care about him. But he didn't care about them. 

How selfish of him...

Selfish... living only for himself...How wrong he was...

But someone had shown him how bad he had turned at that time.

It was the reason why that someone too was important to him.

He barely knew that someone. But that someone took care of him. 

Yes... For a long time he had been selfish...

...It was time for this to change.


	4. Scenes 3 Part One

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * *3a

Naruto opened his eyes.

He was persuaded someone had knocked on the door. His fox ears had caught that sound.

He was tired. He didn't feel like getting up while he didn't have class.

So he closed his eyes, ready to go back to sleep.

Before he could, a shadow loomed over him. 

He instantly jumped out of the cover sheets.

"What is it?!!" He said a little exasperated.

Gaara gazed at him for some seconds. Naruto frowned.

"Someone is calling you outside..."

"Oh...hum..."

At that very moment, the visitor started to bang at the door.

"Naruto!! Get up here!" the stranger's voice shouted.

Naruto froze.

"Go hide quick!" he said, pushing Gaara out of his room.

"What?"

"It's Iruka-sensei! If he ever see you, I'll be damned. And you too." he indicated the bathroom.

"Hide in there and lock the door."

As soon as he was certain the boy had disappeared, he inhaled deeply and walked towards the door.

"Naru--!!"

"Hello, Iruka-sensei..." he grinned.

"You were a long time." the man scolded.

"Hehehe...sorry."

He felt a hand ruffled his hair.

He sighed soundlessly.

"How are you doing?" 

Iruka-sensei was looking at him with a strange concerned look. 

"I'm fine..."

"Are you sure?" 

Why was he insisting? Had something happened since yesterday's classes?

"Yeah..." 

"Hum..."

Naruto felt like biting his lip. Something was wrong.

Could it be that he KNEW?

"Well...Is something wrong?" he asked, uncertain.

"You should be the one answering that question, Uzumaki."

The boy gasped slightly. 

Iruka-sensei calling him by his last name....something was definitely wrong.

"Huh...Why? I've got nothing to say..."

"Hun. Really?"

"Yeah..."

Iruka-sensei looked up. Then down at Naruto.

"You liar!"

"Wh-what?" he managed to mumble.

"You thought I wouldn't know?"

"Ah..." he made a goofy face "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hide this, but..."

"But what?! I work at your school Naruto, I always get echoes of things like that."

"Echoes?"

"Yes echoes! Kakashi told me you skipped classes 3 times this week!"

"Classes?Ah...classes...classes..."

"Yes, three days! I thought you were serious about becoming a Ninja!" he yelled.

"I am!!"

"Then go to school!"

"But it's boring! I preferred the times we had missions..." he pouted.

"Naruto..." 

"What?"

"You can't keep on acting like such a child. There are things you sometimes HAVE TO do. Whether you like it or not."

"I know about that." he pouted more. "It's just that I'm sometimes tired of being so serious about those things I don't like..."

"I can understand that...but you have to attend classes..." he said firmly "Okay?"

"Alright...I won't skip that much..."

"Naruto..."

"Okay! I'll go every day!!" he said raising arms in peace. 

The man lowered his face to the boy's level. 

"You still haven't eaten. Have you?"

"No..."

"Get dressed, I'll pay you some breakfast..."

"Oh..." Naruto beamed at him. "You're the best Iruka-sensei!!" 

"Tsk..Naruto..." he smiled good-heartedly.

"Wait here. I'll take a quick bath then we~~~"

How could he have forgotten about him?

"What are you waiting for?"

"Huh...I...I can't go."

"Why?"

"Well, there is that thing I have to do..."

"What thing?"

"Huh...I can't tell."

"Hmm..."

He saw Iruka-sensei's eyes narrow with malice.

"Does it have anything to do with Miss Haruno?" the man said, smirking.

"Erhm...Yeah...A secret...can't tell..."

Iruka-sensei laughed at this.

"I was wrong, you're now pretty grown up Naruto."

The boy answered him with a puzzled look.

"Never mind...I'll see you later then."

"Yeah..."

Iruka-sensei had turned to take a quick glance at the living room.

"What is with all this sand?"

Gaara quietly closed the door behind him and locked it.

He heard Naruto warmly great the newcomer, then decided to ignore their conversation.

It wasn't his business. It didn't even concern him.

He was a complete stranger. And this wasn't his place.

He leaned on the wooden door.

But he wanted to stay. 

He knew he was being selfish again. He knew by staying he'd bring the gennin serious trouble. 

He knew that if he were to be discovered, some ninjas out here would eat the guy alive.

That he didn't want to happen. But at the same time, he couldn't leave.

He felt he had a debt to the blond ninja.

A debt he was determined to pay. At any cost.

Putting down his gourd, he was surprised to find it light.

It was empty. 

That was strange. Considering that when he had taken it some minutes ago, all the sand was in.

How come it had gone?

He sat down quietly, waiting for his host to call him back.

It was no good. He was certain Gaara had taken his bloody sand with him in the bathroom.

If Iruka-sensei was to find, he was...

He blinked twice.

"Huh... Oh, the sand..."

"Yes... the sand, what is it doing here?"

"I..."

"Naruto...what are you trying to do?"

"I'm...well..."

"What?"

"I'm..." he sighed "Well, you got me. I was trying to mould a small bust for Sakura..."

He was seriously hoping Iruka-sensei would fall for that.

Where was his brain when he needed it?

"Oh...I see. I was thinking..."

"Thinking?" he asked, somehow relieved it had worked.

"...Well, when I was young, around your age, I tried something that was...absolutely forbidden..."

Naruto's eyes widened unconsciously.

"...I tried to master Jutsu from Mist Village." he paused. "Of course I got caught. I had a very hard time with my sensei and almost failed the exams." he turned to Naruto "When I saw this sand I thought you were trying to do the same. But I'm being stupid. You wouldn't do that...even if you're quite a punk, you know what is forbidden." he threw the boy a gentle smile.

"Aa..." the boy swallowed hardly.

"I'll see you later..." he walked toward the door "and...Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"To mould a bust, you use clay, not sand."

"Aa..." he grinned foolishly.

Damn that Gaara.


	5. Scenes 3 Part Two

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * *3b

"Aww... I'm going to die from boredom!" he heard his companion exclaimed.

The latter had spent the morning eating, then looking through a book with strange colours on it.

He himself had been watching him all this time. 

He had seen him frown, then laugh after flipping some pages. After that the blond had frowned again, then smiled, spitting some words there and then. He seriously wondered what kind of book it was to make him display such emotions from one time to another. He wondered how could someone laugh over a book.

For he had never laughed. 

"What?" the Leaf gennin asked suddenly.

Gaara promptly turned his gaze away, realizing he might have been staring.

"I'm going to do some exercises out there..." the sunny-haired ninja stood up.

He didn't answer. He didn't move. 

For once again he would be left alone.

"Wanna join?"

He didn't know why, but he startled.

When he had excited the bathroom, the blond had been quite angry at him. Something about sand, discovery and clay he didn't understand. But now, he was offering him to be his sparring partner.

He did shiver. Not from excitement at the prospect of a fight. No. 

He was simply feeling...good.

He stood up at his turn.

"Meet in the forest huh... you know..." he stuttered.

Gaara watched the other boy exited the house.

Taking his gourd, he walked out by the window and melted in the air.

Naruto slowly walked towards his training place, kicking some little stones there and then as villagers threw him suspicious glares.

He couldn't help thinking it was a bad idea to have Gaara join him. But he needed someone to train with. Not that it was exciting to fight someone he already fight once, but having someone was better than training alone. Sakura always refused to train with him. And Sasuke...well, he would never even think about asking him. Shikamaru, the only one he talked to besides his team-mates, was a lazy-ass and hated training.

Yeah, he was stuck with Gaara, in one way or another.

Passing through the shopping mall, he spotted two figures he instantly recognized.

He frowned in confusion.

He was happy to see Sakura, but he didn't like the idea of her being with Sasuke.

It didn't fit his wildest fantasies a bit. 

Still, following his heart, he walked to them.

"Hi Sakura-chan..." he greeted.

"Naruto..." the girl said, then looked suspiciously around them.

He looked at her, clueless.

Sasuke didn't say a word.

"What is wrong?" 

"Well...I've just met Kankuro and Temari some minutes ago."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"Ah...And?" he said, trying to sound indifferent.

"They were looking for Gaara."

"Hmm..." he made a face.

"They said that something like a week ago he left without saying anything. They think he might have come here..." She paused "Did he come to you?"

"Me? huh... no..."

"I see..."

"Why should we care anyway?" 

"Baka Naruto!" she shouted, back to her usual self. "What if he attacks you?"

"Well..." he rubbed the back of his sore head "...it's not like I didn't already beat him... hehehe." he said grinning.

"The guy is dangerous..." Sakura said, shivering at the memory of what he did to her.

Naruto's goofy face fell for a serious one.

"I don't think so..." he stated.

"And how would you know?" Sasuke said, speaking for the first time.

"I just know it." Naruto spat back.

"Hmph." He left without further words.

"Pff... who the hell does he think he~~ Sakura-chan?"

The girl was already running after the other boy.

He had caught two strange cloaked figures as he flew over the roofs and passed the shopping mall located not far from the forest. He knew who the two persons were, and he knew they had spotted him as well. 

Not wanting to go any further, he landed on a branch, waiting for them to catch him.

In less than a minute, they were down here, looking up at him.

"Gaara..." Temari called.

"So we guessed right hn?" Kankuro added. "What did you come here for?"

"You should have told us you were leaving!" the girl said frustrated "We've been looking for you for a whole week. I thought you tried to..."

He looked at them blankly, his mind confused meeting them would have such an effect on him.

It was true he hadn't seen them, nor talk to them for months. He had refused to be with them.

But now, he felt he didn't deserve such care and attention. 

It confused him they were so nice to him. 

It moved him they were protecting him.

"What are you doing up there?" 

He didn't want to get down. 

He feared they might be angry at him.

Angry because he had made them suffer for such a long time. 

"Gaara?" Temari called again.

He shook his head, bracing his courage.

He trusted them so far, and never had they betrayed him. They weren't going to start now, weren't they?

He landed in front of them. 

His face showed nothing. But his eyes showed embarrassment.

"Are you Okay?"

"Yes. I am..."

"Why did you leave?"

"I don't know." 

"What did you come here for?" Kankuro repeated his question.

"Don't know..."

"You didn't come here to fight them again...did you?"

"Kankuro, stop annoying him with that!"

"Why should I?'

'We already asked the Uchiha and that girl, they say nothing happened."

"And what about the blondie punk?"

"Gaara... did you...??"  

"I felt I had to see him..." he simply answered.

This shut his brother and sister up.

Kankuro was the first to react.

"What do you mean?"

"I had to see him..."

"What... happened?" Temari was already fearing the worst.

"I'm staying with him." he stated. 

Two pairs of eyes had widened in a strange mix of surprise and incomprehension.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. It's just like that..."

He lowered his head as Kankuro intently stared at him.

He would never find his words.

"Come Temari, we're leaving." 

"Ah...Aa." she stuttered.

"I'm sorry..." he mumbled to them.

The two others looked at each other and nodded as an understanding.

"It's nothing." came their reply in unison.

They put their cloaks on and walked away.

Gaara watched them leave silently as something electrical seized his body. 

He inhaled deeply.

"I care about you!" 

Kankuro waved at him without turning back. Temari turned to face him.

"We already know that..." she nodded, before resuming her walk.

He had been watching up from tree, afraid to move and to reveal his presence.

After what Sakura told him, he had had doubts about his decision. He had suspected the Sand gennin might be planning something behind his back. He had run here to give him a piece of his furious mind, determined to throw him out of his house if he didn't confess what he truly came here for.

But after witnessing that scene with his family, after what he had said, he understood he had nothing to worry about. He understood the reason why he wouldn't be leaving.

He had acted the same when he had met Iruka-sensei. He wouldn't let go of him. 

Because he was the only person he could stay and enjoy himself with.

No. Gaara couldn't be bad. 

No one was bad.

Now, he regretted the cold way he had talked to him. 

He realized he might have hurt him.

Just like it had hurt him when people were glaring at him.

No. He would never ever treat him like that. 

Because they were the same. 

Because it would feel like he was hurting himself.

"Hi you!" he said jumping from his tree.

Gaara turned to him, his face still dark.

Naruto grinned at him playfully.

"Are we starting or not?" 


	6. Scenes 4 Part One

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * *4a

A long time had already passed since he was awake. 

Calmly eating, he was waiting for the other gennin to wake up. 

He knew he would soon, because he had school. Unless he was going to skip classes.

He didn't understand what school was for. He had practically learned all the things he knew by himself.

He had never been around people that much. 

He was "Gaara of the desert" after all. 

And nobody did live in the desert.

But, now it was different...

A clicking sound made him raise his head.

"Hello..." the other boy said half-asleep.

Yes, now he had someone with him.

"Oh..." he exclaimed "Thank you..."

Gaara looked shyly at the blond gennin as he smiled at him.

That was something he had learned about his host: the guy did love food.

Whenever he saw food he would smile at him.

That was the reason why he had started making breakfast for him everyday.

He wanted that smile.

He wanted the other ninja to smile.

"Say...why are you always sitting down there?"

He startled. 

For the week he had been there, he had always sat in this corner.

Wasn't it right for him to?

"C'mon..." Naruto said, tilting his head to the right.

He threw a blank look at his blond companion.

He saw him pat the empty chair beside his'. Then he understood.

Something broke inside him, releasing a feeling he had almost forgotten.

The feeling of being a human being.

Naruto lazily closed the manga he had been reading for almost two hours.

He turned his head, searching for Gaara.

He was nowhere to be seen.

He was certainly hidden somewhere in the branches.

It was his idea to spend some time in the forest. The fresh air was good. It was too hot.

"What is that book?" a voice coming from above asked.

"You scared me. Stop doing that..." Naruto complained.

Surprisingly, Gaara's face suddenly took something like a hurt expression. 

Naruto swallowed guiltily.

"Ah...I...didn't mean to be..." 

He left his crouched position to sat up. 

"Well, umm...this book is called a manga..."

"What is so special about it?"

"Huh...I don't know...why do you ask?"

"Because...whenever you read it...your face is..." he paused "...glowing."

"Glowing?" he blinked. "I don't know...it's just that it is...like another world, you know..."

The blank look on Gaara's face told him he was clueless.

"I mean...when I start reading this, it's like I'm not here. It's like I'm living in the manga, with the guys in it." he looked down. "And I like reading them because,...it makes me forget I'm alone. It's like I'm not in this world, I'm not alone anymore, because I'm living in what happens in there..." he patted the book. "...and it makes me happy." he grinned.

"Aa..."

"You've never read a manga?"

The other boy shook his head.

"You should try, it's very funny sometimes..."

"Hn."

Naruto looked at the gennin's expressionless face.

"Say...have you ever smile?"

His companion nodded.

"Oh really?!"

"I...used to smile for...Yashamaru..." 

"Who was that?" Naruto was now curious.

The answer took some time to come out.

"My mother's sister."

"Huh? Then...why didn't you stay with her?"

"She is dead... I killed her..."

He unconsciously shrank away from the Sand gennin.

"...because she tried to kill me. She hated me. Like everybody..."

Naruto's eyes widened, then gradually softened.

He understood. 

To his surprise, he gave him a warm look.

"I understand..." 

The blond gennin carelessly caressed the green grass.

"It feels terrible. Because you don't know why they hate you. You just want to make them stop. But there's nothing you can do about it..."

Gaara couldn't believe his ears. 

"...Even if you hate them in return, everything remains empty. There is only loneliness."

Now he understood too.

He understood what the blue eyed ninja had told him months ago, when they had fought.

He understood why he had said they were the same.

No, they weren't.

The Leaf gennin had never killed anybody.

He had never enjoyed seeing someone else's blood flow.

He had never given himself to the demon of Hate and Resentment.

He was sinless.

But, HE was sinful.

Yet, he wanted to protect him. Like the blond ninja had protected him from the demon in him.

"You know, most of the people in this village hate me. But I don't hate them." he smiled. "That's how I've managed to live with them until now..."

Yes, he would protect him from people harming him.

It was the only way he found to settle his debt to Naruto.

It was the only way he found to pay for his crimes.

It would be his path to Redemption.

His eyes fluttered open.

He realized he wasn't in his room.

He realized there was someone next to him.

Gaara's face was not so far from his feet. 

Surprisingly he was still asleep.

Naruto slowly sat up.

He had always thought the Sand gennin never sleep. Because of the weird monster in his body.

But it seemed that he had finally managed to rest peacefully.

They had spent the previous night playing cards because they hadn't found anything better to do.

They probably fell asleep during a game, for the cards were spilled over the floor.

Naruto carefully left the sofa. He was hungry.

It has become a daily routine to make breakfast for two. Before he knew it, he had gotten used to Gaara's presence in his house. To the point that he had completely forgotten the presence of a stranger ninja in the village was forbidden.

But Naruto did never bother what was forbidden or allowed. 

He did what his mind told him to. And his mind was telling him there was nothing wrong in having the Sand gennin as an housemate.

He hadn't done anything wrong so far. Naruto was certain he would never.

And well... he was glad he had someone.

He felt less...alone.

Humming a tune, he interrupted the trail of his thoughts to concentrate on the breakfast.

"Damn that Sasuke!"

He heard the door being slammed. He quickly closed the manga he had been reading.

Naruto's face was covered with bruises and sharp cuts. His clothes carried kunai's marks.

Gaara made something like a frown.

"Damn him!"

He saw Naruto slump over the sofa.

He threw him an interrogative look.

"That bastard thinks he is better than me, I'll show him! I'll kick his ass next time!" 

He still didn't understand anything.

What had the Uchiha done to Naruto?

After removing his shoes, Naruto picked up a wet towel in the bathroom.

He carefully cleaned the cuts on his cheeks. 

Gaara was him wince. Several times.

He felt the familiar feeling raise in him.

"What happened?" he awkwardly asked.

"We had training classes. I ended up with that asshole." he pouted "He was acting so damn proud I got mad and didn't control my attacks. He ended up beating me." he pouted more. "Next time I will beat him!"

His eyes narrowed unconsciously.

"He hurt you...?" his voice had grown cold.

"Of course this hurts! Shurikens' cuts hurt like hell!! Even if..."

Before he knew it, he had gotten mad. 

"...Urm...calm down. It's nothing really..." Naruto quickly added as he felt Gaara's chakra level raise up. "...It doesn't hurt that much at all...hehehe." 

His anger settled down as he saw the familiar look on Naruto's face.

He was confused. Seconds earlier, he was hurting and now it was all fine.

"I thought he hurt you..."

"Huh?... oh...Well... it's true it hurts a tiny bit, but well...it's not like he hurt me..."

Gaara's face was showing total confusion.

"...I mean, it doesn't REALLY hurt. It's just some pain on my face but, it's not like he REALLY tried to kill me or hurt me." Naruto tried to explain. "We were just sparring...it wasn't intended for real..."

"You said it hurts..."

"Huh...yes, but...he didn't hurt my...feelings...so it's okay..." he said with embarrassment.

Eyes widened slightly.

Yashamaru used to say the same thing. 

She used to say pain in the heart was worse than pain on the body.

He could feel pain in the heart.

He had felt pain in his heart when Naruto was wincing in pain.

But Naruto wasn't in pain at all.

Then, why had he felt pain? Why was it hurting him to see him hurt?

He didn't understand. 

"Umm...well...thank you anyway...for bothering..." he gave a shy smile.

Gaara felt his heart was light again. 

"...Still, I'm gonna kick Sasuke's ass later!"


	7. Scenes 4 Part Two

[Credits: All corrections were done by Nora D.]

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * *4b

"Huh...Sakura!!"

The girl a few meters in front of him stopped before turning.

Her face wore an exhausted look; there were big circles under her eyes and she seemed to have a hard time walking or even standing up.

"What do you want Naruto..." she asked tiredly.

"Well, I wondered if you could lend me your notes. Since there is a test coming soon..."

"What were you doing in classes?"

"It's not my fault...Kurenai-sensei talks too quickly for me to takes notes." he looked at her with pleading eyes. "Please?"

"Okay, fine...take them." 

"Thanks a bunch!" he smiled happily.

"Yeah yeah..." Sakura mumbled walking away.

"All great! hehehe..."

"You seem to be quite hyperactive these days..." Shikamaru said, passing by.

"Pff, he's always bouncing like an idiot anyway," Kiba stepped in.

"What is your problem, dog face!?" Naruto spat at him.

"Look who's talking. Ever care to look at yourself in a mirror, cat face?"

"I'm gonna kill you!"

"Naruto-kun, Kiba-san, please stop..." Hinata intervened.

"Pfff...Coward..."

"Got to hell!"

Kiba only walked away.

"And tell that damn dog of yours to shut up!" 

"Naruto-kun..." Hinata called.

"Huh?"

"Please, don't be mad at Kiba-san..."

"Huh? Umm...Yeah..." 

He saw her blush lightly before leaving.

On his way to the rooftop his eye caught Sasuke's, sitting in a dark corner. He couldn't help it.

"I'm going to beat you this time..." he said resolutely.

"Whatever..." The other replied, barely looking at him.

"You'll taste the fruits of my special training...Wait and see!"

"What special training? Climbing trees like the monkey you are?" 

There was no sarcasm in the gennin's voice. 

It pissed Naruto off.

"Why you..."

"There you are! I found you Sasuke-kun!!"

Naruto made a face at the girl's sudden appearance.

"What are you doing here!?" she had turned to Naruto "Leave us alone." she ordered.

He rolled his eyes at her behaviour and left.

At the end of the corridor was Sakura, quietly eating.

"Hey, Sakura..."

"Uhn?...what again, Naruto...?"

She was definitely not in good shape.

"Ino and Sasuke are eating together over there. You gonna let her get away with it?" he asked maliciously.

"What?!!!" Now she was definitely in top form. "That Ino-pig!!"

Naruto watched the girl quickly grab her school bag and run away.

He smiled wickedly. 

With those two girls around, Sasuke would never eat in peace.

That would teach him never to mock Uzumaki Naruto!

Now, dinner was done.

He had made it himself. And it didn't look that bad.

He heard Naruto exit his room. 

"...All this studying is giving me a headache." he paused "This looks good...wonder how it tastes..."

He quickly sat on the table, happy at the sight of food and immediately started to eat.

Gaara took a mouthful of his bowl. He found the meal good.

He raised his head to look at Naruto. 

The latter was spitting his food out.

"There is sand in it..." He pouted.

"Ah?"

He couldn't hide his surprise.

"Maybe you didn't wash the vegetables properly..."

He turned to the room's corner where his gourd lay. It was closed.

He quietly shook his head.

"You can have mine. There is no sand in it."

"Huh...but..."

"I'm not hungry." 

He watched closely as Naruto's face became radiant.

"Great! Thanks a lot!" he smiled before devouring the meal.

He blinked, then hastily nodded.

"Say...don't you miss your village?" 

He shook his head.

He had never belonged to the Sand village anyway.

He couldn't miss it.

"Oh... hum, what about your bro and sis' then?"

He shrugged.

It felt weird not to have them around like he used to do.

It felt like something was empty around him.

But it didn't bother him that much.

Naruto continued to eat in silence.

"I Just wanted to know, do you know anything about light reflection and trajectories problems? There is that damn exercise I don't understand at all..."

He nodded.

"Oh cool! How high were you ranked at school?" Naruto asked with curiosity.

"I wasn't ranked..."

"Huh? Why?"

"I...didn't go to school..."

"Ah...I see..." he looked up thoughtfully "...still, I'm sure you're pretty good..."

Gaara looked down at his hands.

"...Kankuro used to say...that I was above any Sand gennin's level..."

"That's great! hehehe...You're going to help me with my work then..."

Gaara watched him finished his dinner with excitement.

He didn't care about his village.

He didn't care about his village's Ninja Academy.

He cared about nothing.

Because right now, he felt good.

"Why would we part in teams again?" Naruto complained.

"Baka! I think they're gonna give us some missions..."

"Oh..."

"Where is Kakashi-sensei?!" Sakura desperately whined.

"Yeah...Where is he?" 

"Hello! I got lost in the building." The man said as soon as he arrived.

"You're lying again!" she shouted.

"Yeah, stop giving such pathetic excuses!" Naruto added.

Sasuke barely moved an eyebrow.

"I see everyone is here..."

"You're the one being late!" the two noisy ninja yelled in unison. 

"Okay..." Kakashi smiled carelessly. 

"So, what's the mission about...?"

"Before, I must warn you this will be a very important mission."

The three ninjas took a serious expression.

"We are going to the Grass village to get a precious book. First, the book must not be opened. Second, it's a precious item from the local museum: be careful while travelling with it. Finally, we've got three days to bring it to Jiraiya-san."

"Huh? The pervert-sennin?"

"Kakashi-sensei, what kind of book is it?" Sakura asked.

"Like I told you, it is a treasure..."

"I mean, is it some dangerous spellbook?"

"Hum? No, not at all. It's the original manuscript of Icha Icha Paradise." Kakashi carelessly answered.

"Oh..." Sakura mumbled.

[...]

"WHAT?!!!!" 

"It's ridiculous..." Sasuke said, speaking for the first time.

"Why do we have to get that?!" Naruto pouted.

"Why would Jiraiya-sama want that?!" Sakura exclaimed bewildered.

"Jiraiya-san is one of the greatest fan of this book." Kakashi said. "...I'll admit I'm myself quite a fan too..."

"That we know!!" Both Naruto and Sakura shouted.

"Anyway, we've got three days. So hurry up and let's go!"

In less that one second, Kakashi was already 100m away.

"How come he's in such a hurry so suddenly...?" Sakura asked herself, lazily following her sensei.

Naruto took a step forward, then paused.

He didn't warn Gaara he would be leaving.

"What are you waiting for dead-last? Forgot your guts at home?" Sasuke mocked.

"Shut up! I'll show you who is a coward!" Naruto barked back.

He sat down in his corner, waiting.

It was already late, and Naruto hadn't returned from school.

He had made dinner, and it had gotten cold.

He still waited.

No sign of him. No sound of him.

No one at all.

He didn't know why, but he started to pace the room. 

First slowly, then quickly. Quicker.

What if something had happened? What if someone had attacked him and he was somewhere waiting helplessly? What if he was...

Naruto had a strong will. He was strong. He could defend himself.

He would come home sooner or later.

He was staring in pitch darkness.

No light around him.

No one around him.

He was alone.

The light gone. The blue sky gone. The white clouds gone.

Only darkness. Loneliness. Restlessness.

He closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep, but he couldn't.

Sunlight had come.

He was alone.

For the first time in a long time he was alone.

What if Naruto had gone? What if he had denounced him? What if Leaf Jounin came to send him back to a closed place in his village? What if they tore him away from Naruto?

He breathed slowly, trying to calm his racing heart.

It was racing so much it hurt.

His heart hurt.

His heart hurt because he was alone.

His heart hurt because Naruto was gone.

His heart hurt because he felt betrayed.

A violent pain seized his head. 

His forehead was hurting.

His forehead was burning.

His forehead was bleeding.

He touched the mark. 

His fingers became bloody red.

Sand exploded out of the gourd.

Sand enveloped his body.

He fell into darkness.


	8. Scenes 5

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * *5

"Tadaima!"

It felt good to be able to say it.

He had been living alone for many years and had always wished he could say it one day. 

He had always wished he could say it to someone else.

Light-hearted, he walked in the living room, expecting Gaara to be crouched in the corner.

Naruto turned on the lights in the room. 

He almost screamed.

The sofa was knocked over, the table had been thrown on the opposite side of the room, some chairs had lost a leg. Curtains torn, books sprawled on the floor, sand everywhere.

Gaara was laying on the floor.

He rushed to Gaara's side. 

"Hey...wake up..." 

The Sand gennin barely opened his eyes.

"Gaara..." Naruto called anxiously. The other ninja jerked up from his comatose state. "What happened?"

He blinked at his blond companion.

"I...I don't know." 

"Everything is in a mess here. Did someone come in?" 

Naruto looked at him as he shook his head negatively.

"Are you okay?"

The Sand ninja wore a strange look Naruto couldn't identify on his face.

He nevertheless nodded.

"Where have you been?" 

Naruto startled at the question. 

He knew Gaara would ask him, but something in the way he was asking made him uncomfortable.

"...Ah...We'd been sent to Grass village for a mission. They didn't warn us earlier, that's why I didn't tell you. I didn't know..." he smiled apologetically.

Gaara turn his head away. 

Naruto stood up.

"Oh...well...I think there is some cleaning to do..."

He suddenly realized how chaotic the room was.

He had no idea how it all happened. He remembered falling asleep. Nothing else.

It was bothering him that Naruto's possessions had been so savagely ravaged.

Turning his head on the right, he saw his companion had already started to tidy the room.

Gaara unconsciously sighed.  

He knew Naruto was sorry.

He knew he couldn't have pained him in purpose.

But, there was that angry feeling in him. And he couldn't get rid of it. It was choking him. 

He closed his eyes for some seconds, trying to focus on the fact that Naruto was back.

Naruto was right beside him.

Naruto has returned to him.

But for how long?

His distress was still present in his mind and in his heart. 

He didn't want Naruto to be away from him.

He wanted Naruto to stay with him. Forever.

They would stay together, protect each other.

It was the other people that were drawing them away from each other.

It was senseless.

Naruto wasn't his'. He was the one who entered his life without warning.

Naruto had accepted him, and that was already a miracle.

Why ask for more then? What did he truly want if not protect him?

No. He wanted to protect him.

But how could he while Naruto most of the time was with other people?

For some reason, he felt they were getting in his way.

They were turning Naruto away from him.

That he didn't want. That he feared. 

He was determined not to let it happen.

"I'll help you..." he said, calling the sand back in its gourd.

"Happy birthday to you Ino-chan!" a group of young shinobis chorused.

"Thank you guys." Ino said with a satisfied smile. "Don't forget there is a birthday party at my house tonight. I'll be waiting for all of you who got the cards."

"Especially you Sasuke-kun." she added with a seductive smile.

"What are you trying to do Ino?!" a voice broke in.

"None of your miserable business, ugly Sakura..." 

"You pig!"

"Oh, big-forehead is talking!"

Naruto sweatdropped at the tantrum the two girls were having behind him.

School was over for the week, which was good news.

But, he couldn't help thinking that he had received no invitation card.

Every year it was the same thing. His classmates threw parties for their birthday, with their friends and parents, big cake, shining candles, sweets, he assumed. 

And every year he wasn't invited. He had never been invited. 

He would have like to invite people for his birthday too. But people wouldn't care. 

No one would come to his birthday party anyway. 

It was just like that. 

He had better get used of it.

"Um... Naruto-kun... are you alright?" 

It was Hinata.

"Hum." he nodded.

"Ah...Have a good weekend." she said, then quickly disappeared.

"Yeah... good weekend..."

He started climbing up the stairs just as his teammate stood up from his bench.

He ignored him and kept walking. 

As he was about passing by, he facevaulted to throw him a defiant look.

Surprisingly the dark-haired boy was looking at him too.

"What? Don't be so proud because you got invited..." he blurted out.

The other ninja raised an eyebrow.

"Who told you I was going?" he snapped.

"I just know it..." 

"Hmph." he walked past the blond ninja.

Naruto only stuck his tongue out at him.

"Naruto! Wait a minute!" 

The boy stopped as he recognized his former teacher's voice.

"Hi, Iruka-sensei..."

"So, how have you been doing?"

"I'm fine..." he said with no conviction.

"I'm sorry, I don't stop by that much these days. I'm a little busy with the future gennins and..."

"It's okay Iruka-sensei. I know that already."

"Ah...What about taking a ramen now?" 

"That's fine with me!" Naruto said with a sudden wide smile.

They quickly exited the building, heading to the nearest ramen shop.

"Seems like you stopped skipping classes...it's a good thing."

"Hum...yeah... but school is still boring..."

"You always say that..." Iruka said smiling. "... but your marks have improved."

"Really?" 

"Yes. Kurenai-sensei was delighted."

"Oh?"

"Um-hum. So you finally take school seriously hum?"

"What? No..." he shook his head  "....It's just that...I got some help."

"Miss Haruno again?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. 

Why did Iruka-sensei always talk about her whenever they were discussing?  

"No...I mean, she lend me some of her notes, that's all..."

"Who then?"

"Uh...It was..." he paused. "...Hinata!"

"Miss Hyuga? Hun... Never thought of her that way. But it's true she is quite a good student."

"Hehehe, of course she is..."

God. Lying was starting to be like a second nature to him.

And he was feeling bad about lying to the person he trusted the most.

"A double portion I assume?" Iruka asked him as they arrived.

"Yes." he beamed at his sensei.

Yeah. Iruka-sensei was definitely the person he liked the most.

Blue eyes opened painfully.

"Naruto..." a voice whispered beside him.

"Huh?"

He sat up.

His vision was blurred. His head was spinning.

He turned to the figure at his bedside.

"Gaara?"

He vaguely saw the figure nod. Then sighed.

"What am I doing here? I thought I was at school..."

"You fainted while eating breakfast."

"Huh?"

Gaara nodded hesitantly.

"I don't remember..." 

He blinked twice, trying to adjust his vision.

His companion was looking at him with something like concern.

He made a face.

"It's weird. I'm not sick... but I feel like sleeping..."

"You've been sleeping all the day."

"Oh..." He smiled sheepishly. "Thank you..." 

Confused eyes looked at him.

"...for watching over me today."

The Sand gennin nodded twice.

Naruto simply grinned at him. His natural energy was coming back.

"I'm hungry! Let's have dinner!"

Naruto jumped out of the bed and light-heartedly walked out.

Gaara followed him.

He was smiling.


	9. Act I

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * *6

"Anou...Sakura!" 

The girl with pink hair stopped and turned to her blond teammate.

"What do you want?"

"Huh...I just...Can I borrow your notes?" he asked sheepishly.

"What? Again?!!"

"Yeah... Can I?"

She looked at him with an exasperated expression.

"No. I need them..."

"But, you don't need them!! You're always listening to whatever Sensei says..."

"Naruto..."

"Yeah?"

"I need them!" she snapped and walked off.

He made a face then sighed helplessly.

"Anou...Naruto-kun?"

"Hum?"

"I can lend you mine if you want..."

He abruptly turned to Hinata.

"Really?"

"Urmm...Yes..."

She had started to blush again.

Naruto beamed at her.

"That'd be great!" 

She nodded, then took her bag.

"Uh... Aren't you going to give them to me?"

"They're at my house..." she said lowering her head.

"Ah..."

"We...we can stop by my house...I'll...give them to you there..."

"That's fine with me!" 

He took his bag and they left the classroom.

People in the streets were staring.

Staring at the weird couple.

A good girl from the Main family of a well-known clan and a punk boy with no family and no situation.

Surely Naruto and Hinata weren't walking unnoticed by the Leaf village's inhabitants.

While the girl was shyly trying to avoid their insistent gaze, the boy looked straight in front of him.

The situation got worse when they reached the Hyuga Clan's headquarters.

The children around gasped at the sight of the blond gennin and immediately ran into their house.

Certainly to call their family, for in less than two minutes, the street was crowded with a white-eyed population. All white-eyes staring and glaring at the duo.

Naruto was used of that kind of reactions. 

He knew by heart the hostile looks, the inquisitive gazes, the frowning faces.

But it didn't mean he knew how to react.

He couldn't ignore them. He was in their "territory". 

Running away was out of the question. 

He simply turned to Hinata.

"Have we arrived yet?"

The girl had visibly not heard him.

Looking closely, Naruto noticed her hands were shaking madly.

He hoped she wouldn't break down.

"Hinata... Are you..."

"Let's hurry up..." she resolutely said and increased her pace.

As they reached the Main family headquarters, the girl hurriedly pushed the main door and entered.

Naruto followed her blindly, lost in such a huge dwelling.

Hinata ignored the looks of the servants and dragged Naruto upstairs, heading to her room.

"Hinata, maybe I should..."

"Don't worry. Dad isn't there, so everything is fine."

Naruto blinked. 

The usually shy girl was so agitated. Her behavior had changed.

He saw her rumage through several notepads on the desk, then take one of them.

"Here it is."

"Thank you..." 

Naruto smiled nervously.

Hinata blushed again.

"I think I'll leave now..." he walked towards the door.

"Ah..." She nodded.

They walked down the stairs. 

She pushed the main door.

White pupils slashed with red were glaring at them.

"Otou-san..."

Naruto's face wore a bewildered look. 

"That boy has nothing to do in our house." came the icy voice.

He wanted to move, to run, to flee.

But he couldn't.

The angry ghostly eyes were paralyzing him. 

He kept staring in awe.

"Get out of my house." Hinata's father hissed.

"Naruto-kun..."

The boy frowned, his features showing incomprehension.

"Get out!"

The yell startled him out of his immobility.

He quickly exited the place to find the whole clan outside.

Disdainful smirks, resentful looks, dreadful expressions. 

These were what he caught on their faces whenever he would try to look up.

He silently entered his house.

He closed the door behind him.

He walked straight to his bedroom.

He closed the door behind him.

He let the notes fall to the floor.

He sat on the floor.

He closed his eyes.

He clenched his fists.

He gritted his teeth.

He would not cry.

Why cry anyway?

He was used to those reactions, wasn't he? 

It wouldn't make any difference.

But it did pain him.

After all this time he had spent working hard to become a ninja, to become a gennin, to become a worthy shinobi...they wouldn't accept him. 

The Hyuga Clan had showed that to him.

All his efforts were useless.

A wave of warmth suddenly enveloped him.

His eyes slowly opened.

Two arms were hugging him.

Gaara was hugging him.

He sighed as he felt relief rock his whole body.

He sank into the hug as tears flowed out of his tiny blue eyes, cascading onto his companion's shoulder. 

He bit his lip.

He was crying.

He was crying because he had felt sad.

He was crying because he had felt lonely.

He was crying because he had someone to comfort him.

He rubbed his eyes as he realised he was falling asleep.

Gaara's hand had seized his.

The human pillow suddenly moved away to stand up. 

So did the blond ninja.

He didn't utter a word as Gaara laid him on the bed.

He kept looking at him, dumbfounded.

"Have some rest." The Sand gennin said.

Naruto nodded languidly.

Gaara promptly turned away and exited the room.

Naruto couldn't notice his eyes had narrowed and he was clenching his fists.

Today is another day, had he thought when he had woken up that morning.

Indeed it was starting as a strange day.

As he stepped into the Ninja Academy's building, he could feel the stares on him.

There was a strange atmosphere in the hall.

He shook his head and kept walking.

"Naruto!" 

He facevaulted.

"Ah... Iruka-sensei..." he greeted.

"I need to talk to you..." he looked around "...in private. Follow me..."

Naruto raised an interrogative eyebrow but still followed.

"Is it true you went to Miss Hyuga's place yesterday?"

"Um...yeah..." he answered shyly.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. They just threw me out of their place, but it's a habit people here have so..."

Iruka sighed and ruffled his hair.

"I'm sorry Naruto..."

"It's okay."

Iruka inhaled deeply.

"But, you didn't do anything thoughtless, did you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..." he gazed at the boy "... Last night, a fire was set in one of the clan members' house. Fortunately no one was harmed..."

Naruto frowned.

"You think it was me?"

"Well...It's just that...Someone said he saw blond hair under the arsonist's cloak..."

"So what? I'm not the only blond-haired guy in this village, am I?" he retorted on the defensive.

"I know...but many people from the Hyuga Clan think it was you..."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"But, I didn't do that..."

"That's what I tried to tell them."

He hugged the boy, seeing the bewilderment in his eyes.

"Don't worry. They have no proof. Besides..." he smiled good-heartedly "I know you wouldn't do that."

Naruto smiled at him.

"Thank you Iruka-sensei."

He pushed the classroom door open.

As expected, people were looking at him, if not staring.

He ignored them and walked to his desk.

"Quit staring!!" he stuck his tongue at them.

"Don't think of yourself as a star, you idiot!" Kiba yelled.

"Quiet! You dog face!" he yelled back.

"Baka!" Sakura shouted punching him on the face "Won't you shut up?"

"That hurts..."

"Keep quiet. You are always starting such a fuss..."

"He's the one who started it..." he pouted.

Kiba threw him a contemptful look. He made a rude gesture with his fingers then turned away.

Shikamaru, on his left, was looking at the ceiling with tired eyes. Right beside him was Hinata.

The girl turned her head away the moment their gazes met. 

Naruto sighed and stared at the papers in front of him.

He would give them back at lunch break.

But as the bell rang and he walked toward her, she ran to the exit.

"Hinata!" he called.

The girl threw him a quick glance then turned away to leave.

He saw her give something to his pink-haired team-mate.

"She wants me to take her notes back..." Sakura said. "Instead of bothering her, shouldn't you start writing down your notes yourself?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

Naruto didn't answer, but handed her the pile of papers.

"Oh, take this too." 

He hurriedly unfolded the piece of paper.

-_I'm sorry, I can't talk to you. Dad forbade me to. I'm really sorry Naruto-kun.-_

The characters were awkwardly written, as if the hand writing them down had been shaking. 

He believed Hinata was really sorry.


	10. Act II

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * *7

The gennins around him were waiting. Patiently.

Or rather, just like him, they didn't care.

Their sensei was late, which was very unusual of her.

He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned.

That was one of the reasons why he didn't like school: it bored him.

He closed his eyes, trying to resume his abruptly interrupted sleep.

The door had been opened, but instead of a woman it was a man.

"Good morning people," the newcomer greeted. "Since Kurenai-san went for a mission, I'll be your sensei for this class for two weeks. I'm Ebisu-san."

Some gennins groaned. Naruto did too.

He had hoped class would be dismissed.

"Would anyone be nice enough to tell me where you stopped?" Ebisu-sensei flipped his book open.

"Page forty-three sensei," a feminine voice answered.

"Thank you Miss Haruno." 

The man looked up at the students in front of him, quickly scanning them.

His gaze fell on a face he instantly recognized. 

His face melted into a frown.

"Naruto Uzumaki," he called.

Naruto jumped at his name, giving his attention to the teacher.

"Huh? The closet-pervert?" he said dumbfounded.

How come he hadn't recognize him? He had the same glasses on his nose, the same stiff attitude and the same disdainful face. 

He heard his classmates giggle. 

He heard the man cough as the frown on his face deepened.

"You must call me Ebisu-sensei..."

"Ah..." Naruto nodded without much conviction.

"...And sit down correctly."

The boy pouted and sat up straight in what he thought would be a "correct" position to the man.

There, now he would leave him alone. 

Or so he thought.

"May I know where your book is?"

"I don't have one..."

"And how can you work with no book?"

"I... listen during classes..."

By the way he was clutching the book, he could almost see exasperation flying around the man's head.

Heck, he didn't care.

"Okay, so you wouldn't mind telling me what you learned from the previous lesson, would you?"

Naruto made a face. He didn't know why the man had a sudden great interest into asking him questions. Questions he couldn't answer, anyway.

"...Well?" 

Damn, the closet-pervert was insisting. No way he would get rid of him.

"I forgot," he carelessly answered.

He hadn't noticed earlier, but the class had gone weirdly mute during their entire conversation.

Ebisu-sensei straightened his head up.

"Don't make fun of me..."

The blond ninja face wore incomprehension.

Why was he looking at him that way?

"I'm not..."

"Keep quiet when I'm talking, you rascal!"

Yeah. Definitely mute.

He turned his head away avoiding that gaze he had seen so many times.

"Are you going to take a book or not?"

What the hell was wrong with that guy?!!

"I don't have a book!"

Naruto had stood up, and involuntarily smashed his fist on the desk while answering.

Certainly that was the last straw.

"Then..." Ebisu adjusted his glasses on his nose. "...get out of this class."

This time, the hateful glare he shot was too obvious to be ignored.

No it wasn't a great loss.

He hadn't wanted to get up this morning to go to school. 

Since a week ago, after the incident with the Hyuga clan, he was less and less enthusiastic at the idea of waking up every morning to go to school. Even the sparring classes with Kakashi-sensei seemed less exciting to him. And today, he had wished class would be dismissed.

Well, he had been kicked out of the classroom. Shouldn't he be happy?

After all, he was certain the closet-pervert's teaching was ten times more boring than Kurenai-sensei's one.

No, he wasn't missing anything big. 

And if he was, he didn't care, for it didn't matter to him.

He looked up as he exited the Ninja Academy's building.

Sun shining. Warm breeze. 

It was terribly tempting. And he couldn't resist.

To hell with the closet-pervert and his boring teaching.

He would go enjoy himself under the trees.

But Iruka-sensei wouldn't let it pass.

He would just tell him he got kicked out. 

Iruka-sensei would understand.

Only he understood anyway.

The alarm clock rang savagely, jerking him out of his sleep.

He stared at the ceiling, then rubbed his eyes.

The rest followed instinctively.

There was a crowd gathered outside the building.

Amongst them, he recognized some of his classmates.

"What's happening here?" he asked curiously to no one in particular.

But they all turned to him, and took a step back.

"Huh?"

"Don't act as if you don't know..." Kiba's piercing glare had now turned to him.

"Know what?"

Silence was all he got as an answer.

"The class was literally blown up this night." Shikamaru said.

"Huh? Really?" 

More dirty looks were shot at him.

"What?" he frowned.

"I would never have thought this of you, Naruto," Ino said flipping her hair away from her face. 

"Hey, what are you talking about?!!"

"We all know you got kicked out of the class yesterday. Who else would do such a stupid thing?" Kiba added.

His eyes widened. He frowned harder.

" ' Think you're so smart...Why would I do that?"

"Maybe because you were pissed off?"

"I don't care about those boring lessons," he spat.

The students' hard looks didn't soften a bit.

"Listen people..." a deep voice startled them all. "...Since the classroom has been quite... hum, badly messed up, we have to wait until the new furniture is received. So school is dismissed. Classes will start again in a week."

Surprisingly, no one seemed to be happy at all. 

He had always thought he would be happy if this were to happen. 

But he wasn't. 

Their glares were accusing enough to make him ill-at-ease.

"I didn't do that." he said.

He turned to Hinata. 

The girl lowered her head.

"Hey Shikamaru..."

The boy merely shrugged, clueless.

"Sakura..."

His pink-haired team-mate simply turned her head away.

Everybody left the place.

He stood there, still.

His stomach groaned, reminding him it was lunch time.

He left the comfortable sofa he was lying on and decided to make some ramen.

Sauce-pan, water, fire. Now he just had to wait.

He sat down on a wobbly chair. 

Three days with no alarm clock to mug him.

Three days with no boring speech to listen to.

Three days not having left his house at all.

Iruka-sensei's lecture to him was still hanging in his throat with a bitter stamina.

It made him feel like he had turned into some bad boy.

But he had done nothing.

Iruka-sensei had said someone had caught sight of a boy with orange outfit near school that night. He had been sleeping at that very time. 

Was he the only one wearing an orange jacket in this big village? He didn't think so.

Fortunately, neither did Iruka-sensei.

But it seemed like someone was after him. And that someone seriously wanted him to be in trouble.

He shrugged helplessly and turned to the now boiling water.

Rage was boiling in him too.

He couldn't believe his classmates' reactions. 

When young, he used to fool around with Kiba, Choji and Shikamaru. And even if they had become distant from him, they were people he could still exchange one or two sentences with. But now, it seemed that they totally ignored him to a point that was unbearably painful.

But what hurt the most was the way Sakura had acted toward him. It had been as if he was invisible, as if they weren't team-mates at all. 

It was painful.

Yet he couldn't hate them.

The rage would always vanish.

There was no way out. 

He would get used of it.

He released a very tired sigh.

"Naruto..."

A little startled, he came face to face with the other gennin. 

"Humm?"

"Isn't that...burning?" 

"Huh?"

He looked down to realize he had plunged his fingers along with the noodles into the boiling water .

A sharp yell.

"What's wrong with you, dobe?"

He didn't like that voice. 

He didn't like the way it spoke to him.

"What do you want Uchiha?" he spat. "Go away."

Wind blew a little harder.

"Didn't I tell you to leave?"

"I won't until I got an answer."

He sat up.

"What answer?!!"

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing is wrong! And it's none of your business anyway..."

"It is. I missed a whole week's class."

Naruto made a face.

"Like you care..."

"I do."

He stuck his tongue at him.

"I'm still waiting..."

"Then wait. I don't have anything to say, because I didn't do anything." He stood up. "Even if everybody thinks I did, I didn't do anything. I don't care if they all look at me as if I was the worst murderer around."

He turned to his team-mate.

The later wore a serious expression.

"What?"

"Why don't you try to prove them wrong?"

"I can't."

"You idiot."

"What? Got a better solution?!!!" he asked hotly.

"If it wasn't you, that should be easy."

He frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Sasuke had raised an eyebrow.

"Did it occur to you that someone might be after you?" 

"Of course it did!" he shouted. "But everybody here has grudge against me. It's not like I can easily find that someone..." He pouted.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Copy no jutsu..."

"Huh?"

"The person used copy no jutsu."

"Yeah, and what?"

"It means it is a ninja. Deadlast."

"Stop calling me names!!" he shouted, irritated.

"Then quit being stupid."

"I'm not stupid!" 

Damn it. Just because he had said something true didn't mean he was smarter.

"Yeah... he or she is a ninja. But there are plenty around..."

"It's a start." 

"Whatever..." he paused. "Hey, there is that closet-pervert who keeps annoying me...do you think he---"

The other ninja wasn't listening.

His eyes had narrowed, quickly scanning on the left, the right, then up.

"What are you looking at?!" Naruto asked intrigued.

"Nothing." he shook his head. "You better start looking for that person..."

"That, I know." Naruto retorted. "But... why are you talking to me?" he frowned. "I thought you guys were forbidden to talk to me..."

The place suddenly went quiet.

"I have no parents. No one could have forbidden me to talk to you." 

Naruto remained dumbfounded until the other ninja disappeared.

He smiled sadly.


	11. Act III

Notes: ~~~ is meant for flashback.

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * *8

The Sand gennin sat at the table when he entered the room.

"Hi..." he greeted.

The other nodded.

Yawning, he lazily covered the distance separating him from the cupboards.

They were empty.

He closed the cupboard doors and sat down.

"We're running out of food supplies," he said.

Gaara nodded absent-mindedly.

"And no one would sell me anything. Last week, the owner of the Ramen shop was reluctant to sell me some noodles." he sighed. "I guess they're still angry at me, heh?" he said with a fake smile.

Gaara didn't say a word. 

"Really, sometimes I wish I could leave this village..."

"Why don't you?" 

He was startled at the sudden question.

"Huh? I...I don't know...I mean, I've been living here since I was born..." he paused. "I think I got attached to this village and to its inhabitants..."

The other gennin frowned in confusion.

"Huh...well, at least some of them," he quickly corrected with a grin.

Gaara's expressionless face was back again.

"Besides..." he took a resolute face. "...I will be the next Hokage."

A muffled sound rang in the room.

"Aww...I'm hungry." He jumped up. "Let's ask Iruka-sensei to buy us some food..."

Not knowing is better than knowing.

That was what he used to think, not so long ago.

But now he wanted to know.

He wanted to understand why.

Why did all these things happen to him, and only him?

Was he cursed? Was he that detestable?

~~~His ears perked up as a distant voice reached them.

"Hmm..." he mumbled, still sleepy.

Now he could distinctly hear the knock on the door.

Taking a quick glance in the other room, he was relieved to see Gaara wasn't there.

The Sand gennin seemed to be constantly on alert. Unlike him.

Blinking madly to sweep the blur away from his eyes, he dragged himself to the door.

He fidgeted.

Six jounins were looking at him, their faces dead serious.

His face instantly took a bewildered expression.

His lips started to tremble in anticipation.

His eyes widened.

"Naru---" 

Iruka was interrupted as Kakashi motioned him not to say a word.

The dark-haired man gritted his teeth and lowered his head.

Panic was slowly making its way to the gennin's racing heart.

"Follow us," Kakashi said.

He didn't know how what happened next did.

He recovered his spirits when a strong flower's scent assaulted his nose.

There were tons of flowers around him. All blooming, but stained with red.

"I hope you realize the extreme gravity of your act," a cold voice said.

He knew that voice. But what mattered to him right now wasn't the owner of that accusing voice, but what that voice accused him for.

He recognized the Hokage's graveyard.

He recognized Third Hokage's grave monument.

What he saw made his heart stop.

A red cross had been painted on the shaped rock, along with bloody words:

_'I HATE YOU ALL'_~~~

He bit his lower lip.

Instead of him hating them, they were the ones hating him.

He raised his head to inspect once again the little cell he had been put in some hours ago.

All made of iron. Cold iron.

He shivered.

He was still in his pajamas, wearing his slippers.

He lowered his head.

He wanted to talk to Iruka-sensei, but he was in no position to request anything. 

Their behavior had made that clear.

They held him responsible for what had happened.

He wanted to shout he did nothing.

He wanted to prove them he didn't hate them at all.

But...he felt he did a little. And it made him feel guilty.

... Maybe Gaara was right.

Maybe he should just forget about them and leave.

He looked up right before him.

Those bars...They made him feel like he was trapped.

They made him feel like he was some dangerous animal.

They made him feel like a monster.

They made him feel like he was the Kyuubi.

He opened his clenched fists, blowing the Chakra floating around it away.

"I don't understand why they are keeping him there." 

He jumped up as he recognized Iruka-sensei's voice.

"The Council voted it as a temporary solution," another voice said.

Asuma-sensei?

"What do they mean by temporary? He has been in there for more than half a day. He is still a kid for God's sake!!"

"A kid did you say? What kind of kid would blow up buildings and horribly soil Hokage's grave?!"

"Naruto would never do that-"

"Excuse me? He already did!" 

"Well, it's true he used to scribble on the the Four Hokages' monument, but this time it's quite different..."

"What makes it different this time?"

"You have no proof it is him." Iruka's resolute voice snapped.

"We don't need any proof! He already tried to destroy this place once! That boy is a threat to the whole village."

Blue eyes widened in darkness.

"Shut up." 

"Hmph. You're too blind, Iruka-san."

"Naruto is not the Nine-tails!!"

"There is no difference. That Demon monster is inside him."

"Naruto has nothing to do with that demon!"

"But it lives in him. Just because it was sealed in his body doesn't mean it can't appear again..."

"What are you talking about?" Asuma asked.

"What if the seal had been partially broken? What if the Nine-tails had taken control of his body? That would sure explain a lot of things..."

"I don't like what you're implying."

"Whether you like it or not Iruka-san, it's the truth. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the Council decided to send him to you-know-where..."

"SHUT UP! I'm going to..."

"Iruka-sensei, calm down!"

"Iruka-san..." another voice called.

Rustling of clothes.

"Such a brutality...it's not suitable for a ninja. Hmph. But again, lower class Ninjas like you are exceptions..."

Silence followed.

The tone had been utterly disdainful.

Naruto clenched his fists, trying to control his anger.

"I may be a lower class ninja, but it removes nothing from the pride I serve this Village with..."

"Hmph. Big words. I heard your parents were proud ninjas too, look where they are..."

"Iruka, stop!" Asuma shouted.

"Don't-!!"

He frowned, trying to figure out what was happening.

He heard several rushed footsteps.

"Iruka-san, Ebisu-san, please stop..." a feminine voice said.

"Kurenai is right. You're making such a racket I wouldn't be surprised if Naruto heard you," Kakashi pointed out. 

"Did you come to liberate him?" Iruka asked huskily.

Naruto waited for the answer. But it didn't come.

"Jiraiya-san suggested someone look after him..." Kakashi said "... And he already decided who that person will be..."

Yeah, he had been released, big deal.

It didn't prevent people from glaring at him.

In fact, he would have preferred staying in his dark cell forever.

He sighed.

But there were no trees, no sun and no wind in a prison cell.

Only when he was gazing at the sky could he feel alive.

He wished the old man was still there.

Since he had gone it seemed everything was messed up in the village.

It seemed people hated him more than ever.

He closed his eyes, waiting for the sandman, or whoever would make him take a short peaceful nap.

"I heard about what happened..."

His eyes snapped open.

"...and I believe you."

His eyes widened in surprise.

The newcomer sat beside him.

"I wish everyone did..." He frowned. "There is some freak out there having fun bringing me trouble..."

"That's why we better find him."

Naruto coughed.

"We?"

"You heard me..."

He frowned at his teammate.

"I always thought you were some kind of heartless bastard..."

"I'm not heartless..."

"Yes, of course. No one is heartless."

"...Gaara is."

Naruto's face became serious.

"I said no one is heartless."

"I know he's living with you."

"Yeah, so?" He sat up.

"He's dangerous."

"He isn't. And that's none of your business."

He gasped as a strong hand seized the front of his shirt.

"You are wrong. It is my business." Sasuke hissed.

His eyes widened slightly, for a second fearful, then narrowed.

"Fuck off, Uchiha." he spat.

"We're not allowed to get involved with ninjas from other villages."

"That I know!" he slapped his hands away.

"Then why are you hiding him?" he asked coldly.

"I..." he clenched his fists. "...You wouldn't understand."

Not waiting for more questions, he quickly walked away.

Damn you Uchiha Sasuke, damn you.

He slammed the door shut as he entered his house.

He found himself slammed onto the wall behind him.

He winced as his back started to hurt.

He blinked, realizing whatever had attacked him was still maintaining him against the wall.

A figure appeared in front of him.

Sand started to whirl furiously in the air.

It was an arm made of sand that had assaulted him.

It was a pair of yellow eyes that were glaring at him.

It was Gaara standing in front of him.

The kanji on his forehead spitting blood.


	12. Curtains fall

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * *9

His body tensed.

The eyes kept glaring at him.

They suddenly closed, then opened. Back to grey blue.

"Why can't you just leave," the other ninja said.

"What's wrong with you?..."

"Why don't you hate..."

"Gaara..."

"Why didn't you just leave!!" he shouted.

Naruto didn't flinch.

Gaara was panting heavily. 

This wouldn't last long.

"They hate you. They all hate you." he clenched his fists "Why don't you hate them all?!"

He blinked.

"What are you talking about? Let me go."

Gaara had lowered his head. 

Naruto bit his lip, then gasped as his feet met the floor again.

"They all hate you..."

"Who are 'they'? I don't get you!" he shouted frowning.

"The people around! They all hate you! I know that..." he lowered his head "After all I did...Why can't you see?"

"See what?!"

"They hate you. The people with the white eyes, the others gennins, the villagers...all of them..."

"Gaara..."

"What?! I tried to show you, but you don't want to see...You don't want to see they are hurting you...because you're like me!"

"What are you..."

"We were born to be hated by others. We were born different...that's why they all hate us..."

His face took a painful expression.

"Why do you keep trying then!! They think you burned their house. They think you hate their children. They think you hate them. And they hate you for that..."

His eyes widened, confused.

He looked down.

"So you were the one..."

"...You saw that, didn't you?" he walked toward the Leaf gennin "They'll always hate you, because of that thing inside you..."

He startled.

"The two of us are cursed. No one cares about you... but I do..."

Naruto kept silent.

"I don't want them to hurt you... I want to protect you..."

Gaara's eyes turned amber again.

Naruto took a step backward.

_"Even if it means killing you..."_

He froze as he recognized the voice.

The door flew open.

"Naruto!"

Sand intercepted the newcomer in his tracks.

It immobilized him on the wall.

"Sasuke...?!!"

_"Desert coffin..." _

"Gaara, No!" he shouted.

The Sand gennin seemed frozen for a second.

He kneeled on the floor. Hand on his forehead.

"Are you----" Naruto stopped in mid-sentence.

Someone was releasing a massive amount of chakra.

His eyes widened.

He facevaulted.

"Sasuke, don't...!!"

"You idiot! Move!"

"Don't hurt him!"

He slowly opened his eyes. Then blinked.

Sasuke's Chidori had stopped right in front of his face.

"Idiot!" his teammate snapped.

Gaara wasn't behind him anymore.

"Where are you going?!"

"I'll go find him..."

He frowned.

"No, I will..."

"You'll let him go again. I told you he was dangerous."

"I said I'll go find him!!" he yelled.

The dark-haired ninja's eyes widened.

"Don't follow me..."

"Don't come any nearer." The voice came from nowhere. "He is back..."

"I know..." he said looking up. "Why are you hiding?"

"Because... Because he'll hurt you... just like they did."

"But..."

"Don't come any nearer... please..."

He took no further steps.

"Why... How come he is back...?"

"It's my fault. I made him."

"What...?!!"

"I didn't want that to happen. But... the way they were looking at you with such hatred..."

"I'm used to that. It doesn't hurt me anymore..."

"You're lying!" he roared. "I know it hurts you. I saw it on your face, when that white-eyed man shouted at you..."

"White-eyed?" he blurted out.

"I saw how it hurt you...that day..."

"Gaara..." he cut in "...You followed me?"

"No. Third eye did..."

"Third eye? Is that some Jutsu of yours? How come I didn't sense it?!"

"It's a spying Jutsu..."

"Spying?...W hat for?!!" he asked frustrated.

"For watching over you. That's how I realize how bad they were to you."

Naruto lowered his head, helplessness gaining him.

"And it drove me mad...I didn't want him to wake up, but he did. I wanted to show you they hated you... that's why he did all those things..."

The blond bit his lip.

"...He made me do those things..."

"...No, it wasn't you..."

"It was. I swore to myself to protect you, but he made me hurt you. I cared about you, but he made me selfish again."

Naruto shook his head negative.

"I know you're not selfish... You---" 

"I am. Deep in my heart, I wanted to protect you all alone. I wanted you to hate everyone else but me."

Naruto gritted his teeth and closed his eyes as if in pain.

"Gaara..." 

"I'm sorry. That demon in me... Shuukaku, he will never leave me alone... He will always try to take control over me. I tried to... I can't do anything about it. And... I'm tired of fighting him... I'm tired, I only manage to hurt people... I'm tired of everything..." he lowered his head, voice shaken "... But... please, Naruto..."

Silence.

"...don't leave me all alone." he finally choked out. 

He jumped down. 

Arms encircled him.

"I won't," he whispered in his ear.

He closed his eyes and hugged back.

For the first time in a long time, a tear escaped his eyes.

He felt he was loved back.

He hurriedly across the streets, completely oblivious to whatever was going on around him.

He didn't know if it was wise to leave Gaara alone. Alone with Sasuke.

The two of them hated each other.

Or rather, Sasuke hated Gaara.

He couldn't believe the guy didn't tell anyone about what had happened that day.

He had proven again he wasn't the bastard he seemed to be.

Yet something had to be done.

Sasuke wouldn't hold his tongue forever.

And that Shuukaku wouldn't wait any longer to start harassing Gaara again.

He clenched his fists, and increased his pace.

He stopped only as he recognized the modest white house.

Then the so familiar frog painted on the door.

He raised his hand to knock, then let it fall.

He was having doubts.

He had made a promise.

And he was going to break it.

But... wouldn't it be better that way?

He cared for him too. 

He didn't want him to hurt anymore.

He had to do something for him.

So he knocked.

"So you finally made up you mind...hum?" a deep voice asked playfully.

"Pervy-sennin, I need your help."


	13. Soshite

* * *  * * *  * * *  * * *10

He silently followed his guards as they led him to the Sanctuary's gate.

The place had been worse that he would have thought.

It was quiet. Awfully quiet.

No sound but soft painful moans, heart-drying, asking for forgiveness.

He ignored these cries he knew by heart.

He didn't want them to remind him.

He didn't want to remember how empty he had felt the day he'd entered the place. 

The Sanctuary was nothing but pure nothingness to whoever put a step in it.

He had felt that nothingness.

He had felt it's cold embrace.

Why did he come here in the first place?

Ah, yes. Him. 

He had come here because of him. Because he had said it was for his own sake. 

Did it change anything in him? 

He didn't know. 

He looked up.

He didn't care either, because today was another day.

After three years of complete darkness, the light would be given back to him.

The sun would be given back to him.

He would see Naruto again.

He shivered.

The guards closed the door on his face.

He saw their wicked smile.

It was the last time he would, he swore to himself.

"Gaara..." 

*

He froze as he recognised the voice.

He had been dying to hear it.

He had been dying to see its owner.

He had been dying for three years.

He blinked as the familiar feeling seized his body.

He was alive again.

Naruto was smiling at him.

He felt that smile was for him. Only him.

He smiled back.

Naruto hadn't changed that much.

He still displayed his feelings openly.

Right now surprise could be read on his face.

His face hadn't changed that much either. It only looked a little sharper around the edges. It somehow reminded him of a carved face he had seen in the heights of the Leaf village.

The hair was still shamelessly challenging the sky with its wild spikes.

The eyes remained eternally shining with blue naïvety.

The smile showed life wasn't only made of pain, but also joy.

"Hello..." Naruto said.

He took several steps forward.

He came closer to the blond ninja.

He hugged him.

He felt their chests release a deep sigh.

He smiled.

He smirked.

Once again, they were together. 

Never again would he let him go.

Wind blew a long strand of deep red hair away from his face.

Carved on his forehead, a kanji.

A bloody kanji.

A bloody feeling.

A bloody 'Love'.

*

**Soshite pareedo wa tsuzuku...**

(And this parade continues...) 


End file.
